While driving around town, I've noticed a number of churches having events on Halloween night. I know that most Christians consider Halloween to be a harmless holiday that holds no threat to the spiritual lives of children. Yet there are some denominations that shun the holiday because they believe it celebrates, and therefore trivializes, evil and the occult. Apparently, they consider Halloween to be like marijuana, a gateway to more powerful and harmful influences.

It all begins harmlessly enough -- a toddler dressed up as a cute pumpkin as he shyly asks neighbors for treats. Soon, little Johnny's wearing a pirate costume and intimidating smaller children into giving up their candy. Next, Johnny is flinging toilet paper through the trees of the neighborhood crusty curmudgeon's yard. As a young man, Johnny is leading a cult and sacrificing goats in a clearing in the woods while chanting Satanic curses!

Finally, Johnny adopts a sinister nom de guerre, hatches plans to conquer the world, and kills people using sharks with frickin' laser beams!